TEAM TALK CHANGE
Once again the spammers have found our Team Talk page, and gotten busy with all kinds of childish junk. So you will be prompted for a username and password - they are both the same, the acronym for the big ride we do every spring. Chris

TEAM RIVERLEA ESSENTIALS
What do you need to know to be a Team Riverlea rider? Less than you'd expect - 98% of it can be captured in three words - "just show up". Some of the other 2% is described in these pages, but mostly it's just getting out on the road and becoming comfortably familiar with north central rural Ohio. Click on the Team Talk link on the left for any announcements or news you'd like to post.

TOSRV 2008, Saturday 6:30am. Thanks Patty!

New - the Portsmouth biker murals!




Looking for some new challenges this year? Consider:

5/25Mountains of MiseryNewport Recreation Center, Newport, VA 100/125map
6/28Blood Sweat & GearsWatauga County, North Carolina 100map
8/24Blue Ridge Extreme Afton Mountain, Virginia 100map
9/6Civil War Century Thurmont, Maryland 100map

And the fitting season conclusion:

9/27-9/2832nd Columbus Fall Challenge Lancaster, Ohio 220

"Dad, are those angels?" "No son, that's Team Riverlea. And that's not heaven, just a really big hill."

Current weather

DRAFTING AND PACELINE RIDING

When you ride close behind another bicyclist, you don't have to work as hard. The bicyclist in front of you serves as a windbreak, reducing your air resistance. Experienced bicyclists take advantage of this effect, drafting each other in a paceline.

In a paceline, each bicyclist works hard for a little while at the front, and then drops back to the rear along the left side of the line of riders. Large groups may ride in two lines side by side - a double paceline, with the leaders dropping back along the outside, right and left.

A well-coordinated paceline is poetry in motion, but drafting is always a little risky. To take advantage of the windbreak effect, you must follow the rider ahead of you closely; but you must never let your front wheel overlap that rider's rear wheel. If the wheels touch, you suddenly can't balance and you'll almost certainly take a quick, hard fall. Other riders behind you may land on top of you. Ride in a paceline only if you've developed good control over your bike, and you know that the other bicyclists can also manage the situation safely.

Everyone in a paceline must ride smoothly, with no quick braking or swerving. Look past the rider in front of you: Don't stare at his or her rear wheel. Try to anticipate the moves the lead rider will make. The lead rider should announce road hazards: "Glass," "Dog right," "Car up," and maneuvers: "Slowing," "Left turn."